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If you want to put a fish pond in your garden, you’ll find that choosing the right pond plants is just as important as how you design the pond itself, and what types of fish you put into it. It’s the plant ecosystem that will determine the health of the pond and that in turn helps provide an environment for happy, healthy fish. Yet you don’t just grab some plants at random and stick them into your pond, as certain types are required and all need to be there.
The most important kind of pond plants, though they are by no means the only kind you need, are those that help create the oxygen that the fish themselves need to survive, and which do a better job of this than any artificial method. But plants also help reduce the problem of pond algae as well, because they use up the compounds created by the bacteria in the water that break down organic matter. Some good oxygenating plants to look for are Anacharis (Ditch-moss, WaterPest) or Cabomba (Washington Grass, Fanwort).
Your pond design should include other types of plants as well, and one of the most popular is water lilies. They root in the soil at the bottom of the pond and their leaves and flowers trail on the surface of the water. These can be chosen for beauty and even to create partial shade for fish, such as koi, that shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. At least 1/3 to 1/2 of the water surface should be left clear, however. You’ll need to research these pond plants to learn which species grow best in the depth of water in your own pond. Gladstoniana, for example, with its very large white blooms, can grow in deep ponds, while Odorata Minor, with its star-shaped flowers, might grow in a depth of 9-14 inches.
In addition to the floating pond plants in the center, you’ll want to add the extra balance of marginal plants along the edges. These root in the mud of the shallows, and bring further shade and cooling to the pond. It may seem odd to think of placing the right plants as a part of fish management, yet it’s the plants that actually create the environment that will determine the health of your fish. Keep the plants balanced and properly varied, and the fish will do very well, thus making your pond a happy place for both you and the fish.
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